Cheerful Little Accident
by Katonix
Summary: Near/Female Reader A simple slip of words gives no regrets. One-shot, No sexual content


She let out a soft sigh as she continued to type out papers on the recent mass murders spreading across America. It had been five months since Kira has been brought to justice, but crime continued on. Perhaps she expected a miracle, yet she had not yet received one. So, for now, she would continue writing papers. Her fingers would continue to grow numb from the cold and overuse, but she would keep writing anyways. If it pleased Near, she had no other choice.  
Near. He was the most irritating, yet most amazing, young man she had ever met. He wasn't dashing. He didn't have muscles that rippled under his shirt. Hell, he didn't even show much emotion in general, or bother with vanity. That was why she took an immediate fondness to him.  
The reason she found Near such a spectacle was because he was simply Near. There was no underlying meaning to it. There was nothing special about him, yet everything about him was special. His intellect outmatched most, he had brought many to justice, and he was Lawliet's successor. Of course no one knew the last bit except for those close to him.  
He was of course someone many would dream of meeting. Yet most who knew his true identity believed he was simply an irritating boy who tried too hard to follow in Lawliet's footsteps. Not to her though. He was Near, not L. That was the natural occurrence in her mind. Near did not act, speak, or look like Lawliet to her. Plus, Near was much more fun to tease than L had ever been.  
Mello, Near, and her had all grown up at Wammy's orphanage in hopes of being L's successor. Of course, she was constantly belittled for her gender. How could a woman possibly succeed such an intelligent man? Weren't women supposed to cook, and clean, and bring up children?  
Near was the only one who ever believed in her…  
And she hated him for it.  
She didn't need the support of a simple boy to gain a higher social status. Back then the pecking order was eat or be eaten. He was constantly bullied for being around her, and even taunted as much as she was for siding with a female. Why did he have to make it worse for himself? She didn't need anybody and neither did he. They were both solitary figures who rarely interacted with the other kids, so why did he have to choose her as a friend? Honestly. What were they? Together they were simply two lonely children who only gained more reasons for constant teasing by being around each other.  
Yet they worked together and found themselves somewhat inseparable.  
So she would continue writing out papers to help him out, like he had done for her many times. Perhaps his fingers went numb with cold sometimes. What an odd thought.  
She went into the main office area where everyone sat at a computer or a table, reading something important or writing something even more important. She took her spot next to Near and shuffled through the papers. Pushing an orange sheet towards him and continuing to skim through her work. She always printed in color to help her remember which articles were on what paper.  
"The killer seems to move in alphabetical order according to state. He or she started in Alabama and is now in California. Judging by their speed, they'll be in Colorado within the week. The weapon selection seems to be completely random depending on whatever is in close perimeter that can be used lethally." She spoke quickly and calmly, trying to get her facts across while still debating what else to tell him.  
"You've done phenomenally." He spoke in a soft undertone and read through her papers with his normal look of unyielding boredom. Or perhaps detachment? She never could tell which.  
She felt a small surge of pride in her chest and allowed herself to bask in it for a few minutes. Her mind wandered as she gazed into the distance.  
Yet, she knew she had work to do. Looking over with a smile still etched on her face, she wasn't surprised that she made eye contact with the white haired male, or that he happened to be looking at her. They held the gaze for several seconds before she broke it and brought her gaze down to her papers.  
Today started like any other but even she couldn't fathom the unexpected twist of events that would take place. She found herself stealing glances at the boy next to her, but today he seemed to be returning those glances. What was going on? Was this simply him wondering what was wrong with her? Neither of them were acting normal. This was obvious. Suddenly a devious thought popped in her head. Teasing Near was easy, so why not catch up on it today? She hadn't toyed with him since Kira had been captured. He needed something amusing to lighten his mood.  
Near didn't laugh. He simply was never one to outright burst into gut wrenching laughter at something, but you could always tell when he was amused. His shoulder would relax and he would twirl his hair in the lazy way he did when something was going his way.  
She scooted her chair closer to him, leaving their shoulders bumping. He refused to look up, which signaled his discomfort. Forcing herself not to laugh yet. If she did, she would ruin the fun. The joke she was about to pull was to amuse everyone, yet fulfill her little attraction to him in a way that he would blow it off as a joke. But it would be real for her.  
She snaked one arm around his chair and touched the cheek farthest from her. Her fingers gently twined in his hair, and her hand slowly eased his head closer towards her. She usually pulled jokes like this, making Near uncomfortable, but then amusing him with some unforeseen twist. It was well known that he didn't get close to people, even with his childish demeanor.  
She brushed her lip against his collar bone, and gently up to his ear. What she planned to say was something odd, or unfitting to the situation. Perhaps 'I like pudding' or 'I think Givanni might be reading something inappropriate on his laptop' in a loud voice. But of course, she made a slip of the tongue.  
The hand that was in his hair, slid down to his shoulder and gently pulled him closer. Just as she was about to say something humorous the word slipped out, soft and almost inaudible. One amazingly, stupidly, simple word.

"Mine."

Before he had time to respond, she realized what she said and flew up out of her chair. He whipped his head around to look at her. There was emotion on his face this time, but it was so rare, that she couldn't tell what it was. Horrified, she stepped backwards.  
"I'm so sorry." She whispered, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. How could she be so careless? So stupid? All the time she had known Near, her emotions towards him were always unknown and kept in line. Someday, something was bound to happen, but why know? Why when she had been so close to him? When she had her arms around him and her fingers in his hair? It was meant to be a joke. A joke.  
She turned around and practically flew out of the office, not knowing what else to do to compensate for her error. Yet, she found herself thinking even more about what had happened.  
Why did Near not pull away? She had done this many times before. It obviously made him uncomfortable, yet he never mentioned it to her or asked her to stop. But no, she would not try to talk herself into believing the feeling was mutual.  
She found herself in the living room of the mansion that was never used. She came here whenever she was upset, or had messed up. The last time she had been here was when she had failed to help Near find any facts on the Death Note. He had not even cared that she had _failed_ him, but she felt torn apart all the same.  
She fell to her knees on the carpet and grabbed a pillow from the nearest couch, hugging it to her chest and hiding her face in it.  
She might have been there for hours, minutes, or even seconds when she heard a dull thud behind her. Looking up only gave a new wave of emotions.  
"You really are odd sometimes." He said in his usual quiet voice, standing there awkwardly.  
Pain. It was like a stabbing in her heart that she couldn't stop. Her lips quivered as Near drew closer. He sat in front of her, one knee up and the other facing away from him. He raised a hand and she closed her eyes not wanting to know what he would do next.  
His palm made contact with her cheek, barely touching it, when she felt his lips brush against hers, it felt as if her chest was going to explode. Her eyes opened as he pulled away and looked at her with an awkward smile on his face. The blush forming on his cheeks was clearly visible against his pale face. She slowly leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, finally letting a shaky breath out.  
They went back to the office, bumping shoulders gently and somehow moving to the subject of legos and what the easiest thing to make with them was.


End file.
